Modulated power supply system and method with automatic transition between buck and boost modes

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides a modulated power supply system having a switching converter with an output terminal for supplying modulated power to a load. The modulated power supply system also includes a controller adapted to transition the switching converter between a buck mode and a boost mode in response to a detection of at least one predetermined condition associated with the output terminal.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent applications No. 61/727,388, filed Nov. 16, 2012, and No. 61/734,177, filed Dec. 6, 2012, the disclosure of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to radio frequency (RF) switching converters and RF amplification devices that use RF switching converters.

BACKGROUND

Typical user communication devices employ a modulated power supply system that includes radio frequency (RF) switching converters to generate one or more supply voltages to power RF circuitry. If an RF switching converter provides envelope tracking (ET) and/or average power tracking (APT), a supply voltage level of the supply voltage may need to be controlled with adequate precision in order to provide adequate power performance and to prevent unwanted distortion. In an ET system, there is a need to have a modulated power supply system that is configured to operate in ET mode and in APT mode. When the modulated power supply system is operating in APT mode at or near 100% duty cycle in buck mode, no regulation against battery voltage changes is available. If the battery voltage drops quickly during APT mode, a typical transceiver control system communicatively coupled to the modulated power supply system will not have time to react to configure the associated RF switching converter into a 1.5×boost mode. As a result, there is a need for a modulated power supply system and method having an automatic transition from a buck mode to a boost mode and vice versa to minimize undesirable effects due to battery voltage fluctuations.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a modulated power supply system that includes a switching converter having an output for supplying modulated power to a load. The modulated power supply system also includes a controller adapted to transition the switching converter between a buck mode and a boost mode in response to a detection of at least one predetermined condition associated with the output terminal.

A benefit of the modulated power supply system of the present disclosure is that it provides for switching to boost mode automatically if voltage regulation is lost due to a battery voltage drop. Yet another benefit of the present modulated power supply system is that it provides for switching to buck mode when a battery voltage has recovered from a voltage drop.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate the scope of the disclosure and realize additional aspects thereof after reading the following detailed description in association with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrate several aspects of the disclosure, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 depicts a modulated power supply system that in accordance with the present disclosure provides an automatic transition from a buck mode to a boost mode and vice versa to minimize undesirable effects due to battery voltage fluctuations.

FIG. 2 is a voltage waveform graph that illustrates a loss of voltage regulation that typically occurs with a related art modulated power supply system.

FIG. 3 is a voltage waveform graph in accordance with the present disclosure that illustrates an automatic transition from buck mode to boost mode 1.5×V_(BAT) so that voltage regulation is maintained.

FIG. 4 is a voltage waveform graph in accordance with the present disclosure that illustrates an automatic transition from buck mode to boost mode 1.5×V_(BAT) when a target voltage is above a maximum allowable buck voltage level.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a routine for automatically transitioning between buck mode and boost mode in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments set forth below represent the necessary information to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and illustrate the best mode of practicing the disclosure. Upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will understand the concepts of the disclosure and will recognize applications of these concepts not particularly addressed herein. It should be understood that these concepts and applications fall within the scope of the disclosure and the accompanying claims.

A modulated power supply system is disclosed that includes a parallel amplifier circuit and a switching converter that are automatically commanded by a controller to switch between a buck mode to a boost mode and vice versa to minimize undesirable effects of battery voltage fluctuations. The switching converter cooperatively operates with the parallel amplifier circuit and the controller to realize the modulated power supply system. The modulated power supply system operates in one of a high power modulation mode, a medium power modulation mode, and a low power average power tracking (APT) mode. Further, during the high power modulation mode and the medium power modulation mode, the modulated power supply system provides a power amplifier supply voltage to a radio frequency power amplifier to provide envelope tracking (ET) including pseudo envelope tracking. During the low power APT mode, the modulated power supply system provides supply voltage to the radio frequency power amplifier.

FIG. 1 depicts a modulated power supply system 10 that provides an automatic transition from a buck mode to a boost mode and vice versa to minimize undesirable effects due to battery voltage (V_(BAT)) fluctuations. As such, FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of the modulated power supply system 10 including a switching converter 12, a parallel amplifier circuit 14, a power inductor 16, a coupling circuit 18, and a bypass capacitor 20. The bypass capacitor 20 has a capacitance C_(BYPASS).

The switching converter 12 and the parallel amplifier circuit 14 are configured to operate in tandem to generate a power amplifier supply voltage VCC2 for a linear radio frequency power amplifier 22. The power amplifier supply voltage, VCC2, may also be referred to as a modulated power supply voltage, VCC2. A power amplifier supply output 24 provides an output current, I_(OUT), to the linear radio frequency power amplifier 22. The linear radio frequency power amplifier 22 may include a radio frequency power amplifier input configured to receive a modulated radio frequency input signal having an input power P_(IN). The linear radio frequency power amplifier 22 may further include a radio frequency power amplifier output coupled to an output load, Z_(LOAD). The linear radio frequency power amplifier 22 may generate an amplified modulated radio frequency output signal having an output power P_(OUT) in response to the modulated radio frequency input signal having the input power P_(IN).

As an example, the output load, Z_(LOAD), may be an antenna. The radio frequency power amplifier output may generate the amplified modulated radio frequency output signal as a function of the modulated radio frequency input signal and the power amplifier supply voltage, VCC2. In some embodiments, the power amplifier supply voltage, VCC2, may be modulated to substantially follow the signal envelope characteristic of the modulated radio frequency input signal to improve the power efficiency of the modulated power supply system 10. The amplified modulated radio frequency output signal may be provided to the antenna for transmission. The switching converter 12 includes a supply input 26 configured to receive the battery voltage, V_(BAT), from a battery 28 and a switching voltage output 30 configured to provide a switching voltage, V_(SW). The switching voltage output 30 is coupled to the power amplifier supply output 24 by the power inductor 16, where the power inductor 16 couples to the bypass capacitor 20 to realize an output filter 32 for the switching voltage output 30 of the switching converter 12. As such, the power inductor 16 is coupled between the switching voltage output 30 and the power amplifier supply output 24. The power inductor 16 provides a power inductor current, I_(SW) _(—) _(OUT), to the power amplifier supply output 24. A node between the switching voltage output 30 and the power inductor 16 is referred to herein as the LX NODE.

The parallel amplifier circuit 14 may include a parallel amplifier supply input 34 configured to receive the battery voltage, V_(BAT), from the battery 28, a parallel amplifier output 36, a first control input 38 configured to receive a V_(RAMP) signal, and a second supply input 40 configured to receive the power amplifier supply voltage, VCC2. The parallel amplifier output 36 of the parallel amplifier circuit 14 is coupled to the power amplifier supply voltage VCC2, by the coupling circuit 18. A parallel amplifier output voltage, V_(PARA) _(—) _(AMP), is provided by the parallel amplifier circuit 14.

As an example, the parallel amplifier circuit 14 may generate the parallel amplifier output voltage, V_(PARA) _(—) _(AMP), based on the difference between the V_(RAMP) signal and the power amplifier supply voltage, VCC2. Thus, the V_(RAMP) signal may represent either an analog or digital signal that contains the required supply modulation information for a power amplifier collector of the linear radio frequency power amplifier 22. Typically, the V_(RAMP) signal is provided to the parallel amplifier circuit 14 as a differential analog signal to provide common mode rejection against any noise or spurs that could appear on this signal. The V_(RAMP) signal may be a time domain signal, V_(RAMP) (t), generated by a transceiver or modem and used to transmit radio frequency signals. For example, the V_(RAMP) signal may be generated by a digital baseband processing portion of the transceiver or modem, where the digital V_(RAMP) signal, V_(RAMP) _(—) _(DIGITAL), is digital-to-analog converted to form the V_(RAMP) signal in the analog domain. In some embodiments, the analog V_(RAMP) signal is a differential signal. The transceiver or a modem may generate the V_(RAMP) signal based upon a known radio frequency modulation Amplitude (t)* cos (2* pi*f_(RF)*t+Phase (t)). The V_(RAMP) signal may represent the target voltage for the power amplifier supply voltage, VCC2, to be generated at the power amplifier supply output 24 of the modulated power supply system 10, where the modulated power supply system 10 provides the power amplifier supply voltage, VCC2, to the linear radio frequency power amplifier 22. Also the V_(RAMP) signal may be generated from a detector coupled to the linear radio frequency power amplifier 22.

For example, the parallel amplifier circuit 14 includes the parallel amplifier output 36 that provides the parallel amplifier output voltage, V_(PARA) _(—) _(AMP), to the coupling circuit 18. The parallel amplifier output 36 sources a parallel amplifier circuit output current, I_(PAWA) _(—) _(OUT), to the coupling circuit 18. The parallel amplifier circuit 14, depicted in FIG. 1, may provide a parallel amplifier circuit output current estimate 42, I_(PAWA) _(—) _(OUT) _(—) _(EST), to the switching converter 12 as an estimate of the parallel amplifier circuit output current I_(PAWA) _(—) _(OUT), of the parallel amplifier circuit 14. Thus, the parallel amplifier circuit output current estimate 42, I_(PAWA) _(—) _(OUT) _(—) _(EST), represents an estimate of the parallel amplifier circuit output current I_(PAWA) _(—) _(OUT), provided by the parallel amplifier circuit 14 as a feedback signal to the switching converter 12. Based on the parallel amplifier circuit output current estimate 42, I_(PAWA) _(—) _(OUT) _(—) _(EST), the switching converter 12 may be configured to control the switching voltage, V_(SW), provided at the switching voltage output 30 of the switching converter 12. A current threshold offset 44 I_(THRESHOLD) _(—) _(OFFSET) is also provided.

The switching converter 12 has a first control bus input 46 and the parallel amplifier circuit 14 has a second control bus input 48 that receive commands from a controller 50 that is adapted to automatically switch between a buck mode to a boost mode and vice versa. The automatic switching between the buck mode and the boost mode is needed to minimize undesirable effects of battery voltage V_(BAT) fluctuations that arise due to transitions between ET mode and APT mode. The controller 50 also includes an input 52 that receives a status signal LX_STATE indicative of the state of the LX NODE. The status signal LX_STATE may be analog or digital depending on a detection function of the controller 50. It is to be understood that the controller 50 can be implemented in a processor or in logic circuitry.

For best efficiency performance in ET mode, the power inductor 16 is required to have a relatively low value of inductance that ranges from around about 0.5 μH to around about 1.5 μH. Moreover, inductance values higher than around about 2.0 μH are not desirable because a bandwidth requirement for the modulated power supply system 10 would not be met. Further still, when the modulated power supply system 10 is operating in APT mode, the relatively low range of inductance that ranges from around about 0.5 μH to around about 1.5 μH will induce large voltage ripples on power amplifier supply voltage VCC2. Also, it is required to have a boost capability in APT mode since a power amplifier load-line is typically high for best ET and APT efficiency.

FIG. 2 is a voltage waveform graph that illustrates a loss of voltage regulation that typically occurs with a related art modulated power supply system. In such a case, no additional headroom is available to regulate a switching voltage V_(SW) at the LX NODE and regulation is lost. This loss of regulation capability can be either because V_(BAT) has dropped or because the power amplifier supply voltage VCC2 target is higher than the buck mode capability. The maximum switching voltage V_(SW) at the LX NODE equals V_(BAT)−(ESRswitch+ESRpowerinductor)*I, where ESRswitch is the effective series resistance of the switch (not shown) and ESRpowerinductor is the effective series resistance of the power inductor 16 (FIG. 1) that the current I flows through. Therefore, V_(SW) cannot be increased further without generating a positive error in the controller 50 (FIG. 1) because the output of the controller 50 would equal (VCC2 target−VCC2 measured)*gm, where gm is the gain of an error amplifier (not shown).

The present embodiment of the modulated power supply system 10 operates the APT mode in buck and boost modes. The LX NODE of the modulated power supply system 10 is switched from ground state to V_(BAT) during buck mode and is switched from V_(BAT) to 1.5×V_(BAT) during boost mode. A transition from the buck mode to the boost mode is done automatically relative to battery changes or target output voltage changes without any interaction with other radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs). By allowing the LX NODE to toggle only from V_(BAT) to 1.5×V_(BAT) in boost mode rather than from ground to 1.5×V_(BAT) or from ground to 2×V_(BAT), the induced current ripple in the power inductor 16 is reduced by at least 6 dB thus compensating for the use of low power inductor values. By creating an automatic transition from the buck mode to the boost mode, the modulated power supply system 10 does not require any headroom as the modulated power supply system 10 can operate at 100% duty cycle and have a quick capability to switch from buck mode to boost mode or vice versa if the battery voltage changes.

The switching converter 12 provides multiple voltage states such as ground, 1×V_(BAT), 1.5×V_(BAT) and 2.0×V_(BAT). The controller 50 reads the status signal LX_STATE to transition automatically from different modes in response to the status signal LX_STATE. FIG. 3 is a voltage waveform graph in accordance with the present disclosure that illustrates an automatic transition from buck to boost 1.5×V_(BAT) so that voltage regulation is maintained. FIG. 4 is a voltage waveform graph in accordance with the present disclosure that illustrates an automatic transition from buck to boost 1.5×V_(BAT) when a target power amplifier supply voltage VCC2 is above a maximum allowable buck voltage level.

In this regard, two exemplary APT mode operations are considered:

apt_mode=0, buck mode, where the LX node is toggled from ground to V_(BAT);

apt_mode=1, boost mode where the LX node is toggled from battery to 1.5×V_(BAT);

The automatic transition from apt_mode=0 (buck) to apt_mode=1 (boost 1.5×V_(BAT)) begins by monitoring the LX NODE status signal LX_STATE. The controller 50 (FIG. 1) determines that no more headroom is available to regulate the switching voltage V_(SW) if the status signal LX_STATE indicates that a closed loop control of the APT system is pushing the switching output V_(SW) to about 100% duty cycle for a period greater than or equal to a predetermined period such as 3.5 μs.

A detection by the controller 50 that the status signal LX_STATE indicates a 100% duty cycle for a predetermined period shows that there is a need to switch from apt_mode=0 (buck) to apt_mode=1 (boost 1.5×V_(BAT)). In response, the controller 50 sets the apt_mode to 1 to force the switching converter 12 to operate in the boost mode, where the LX NODE toggles from V_(BAT) to 1.5×V_(BAT). This action allows enough headroom to once again regulate the power amplifier supply voltage VCC2 in the case of a drop in V_(BAT).

Typically there is a continuity in the LX NODE voltage in both buck and boost 1.5×V_(BAT) states, since when operating in buck mode, when the status signal LX_STATE is at V_(BAT), the effective voltage on the LX NODE is equal to V_(SW)=V_(BAT)−(ESRswitch+ESRpowerinductor)*I, and when operating in boost mode, where the status signal LX_STATE is at V_(BAT), the effective voltage on the LX NODE is V_(SW)=V_(BAT)−(ESRswitch+ESRpowerinductor)*I.

The automatic transition from the buck mode to the boost mode or vice versa maintains regulation relative to battery changes for a target power amplifier supply voltage VCC2 and allows use of the boost mode with a reduced toggling voltage range, thus reduced ripple current and voltage. Moreover, the present method is extendable for cases where the switcher can have more states such as ground, 0.5×V_(BAT), 1×V_(BAT), 1.5×V_(BAT) and 2.0×V_(BAT). In such cases, automatic transitions are handled by toggling the LX NODE between 0.5×V_(BAT) and ground, or by toggling the LX NODE between 1×V_(BAT) and 0.5×V_(BAT).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a routine executed by the controller 50 (FIG. 1) for automatically transitioning between the buck mode and the boost mode in accordance with the present disclosure. The routine starts once a change from ET mode to APT mode is initiated (step 100). Next, the controller 50 determines if an auto buck/boost mode is enabled (step 102). If no, then the controller 50 ensures that the auto-mode disabled (step 104). Next, the controller 50 determines that if APT mode is enabled (step 106). If the APT mode is not enabled, the auto buck/boost is disabled (step 108). If the APT mode is enabled, operation in APT buck mode begins and the controller 50 monitors the state of the LX NODE via the status signal LX_STATE. In this exemplary embodiment the duty cycle (DC) of V_(SW) output from the switching voltage output 30 (FIG. 1) is monitored (step 110). Next, the controller 50 tests the LX NODE via the status signal LX_STATE to determine if the DC of the V_(SW) output from the switching voltage output 30 is at 100% for a time greater than or equal to a predetermined period ΔT (step 112). If no, then step 110 is repeated so that the APT buck mode continues and the controller 50 continues monitoring the DC of the V_(SW) output from the switching voltage output 30. If yes, operation begins in the APT boost mode and the controller 50 continues monitoring the DC of the V_(SW) output from the switching voltage output 30 (step 114). Next, the controller 50 tests the LX NODE via the status signal LX_STATE to determine if the DC of the V_(SW) output from the switching voltage output 30 is at 0% for a time greater than or equal to a predetermined period ΔT (step 116). If no, then step 114 is repeated so that the APT boost mode continues and the controller 50 continues monitoring the DC of the V_(SW) output from the switching voltage output 30. If yes, then step 110 is repeated so that the APT buck mode restarts and the controller 50 continues monitoring the DC of the V_(SW) output from the switching voltage output 30. The routine ends once a change from APT mode to ET mode is initiated (step 118). The predetermined period ΔT is programmable if desired. The predetermined period ΔT ranges from around about 2 μS to around about 4 μS.

Those skilled in the art will recognize improvements and modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure. All such improvements and modifications are considered within the scope of the concepts disclosed herein and the claims that follow. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A modulated power supply system comprising: a switching converter with an output terminal for supplying modulated power to a load; and a controller adapted to transition the switching converter between a buck mode and a boost mode in response to at least one predetermined condition associated with the output terminal.
 2. The modulated power supply system of claim 1 wherein a switching output voltage at the output terminal is boosted by the switching converter to around about 1.5 times a voltage of a battery that supplies the switching converter.
 3. The modulated power supply system of claim 1 wherein a switching output voltage at the output terminal is toggled by the switching converter between a voltage of a battery that supplies the switching converter and around about 1.5 times the voltage of the battery during a voltage boost operation.
 4. The modulated power supply system of claim 1 wherein a switching output voltage at the output terminal is toggled by the switching converter between a voltage of a battery that supplies the switching converter and around about 2 times the voltage of the battery during a voltage boost operation.
 5. The modulated power supply system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further adapted to detect a signal indicative of at least one predetermined condition of a switching output voltage at the output terminal for a predetermined period.
 6. The modulated power supply system of claim 5 wherein the predetermined period ranges from around about 2 μS to around about 4 μS.
 7. The modulated power supply system of claim 5 wherein the at least one predetermined condition is a duty cycle of around about 100% for the switching output voltage at the output terminal.
 8. The modulated power supply system of claim 7 wherein the controller is adapted to transition the switching converter from the buck mode to the boost mode upon detecting a duty cycle of around about 100% for the switching output voltage at the output terminal for a predetermined period.
 9. The modulated power supply system of claim 8 wherein the predetermined period ranges from around about 2 μS to around about 4 μS.
 10. The modulated power supply system of claim 8 wherein the switching output voltage at the output terminal is boosted from a battery voltage to a voltage equal to around about 1.5 times the battery voltage.
 11. The modulated power supply system of claim 8 wherein the switching output voltage at the output terminal is boosted from a battery voltage to a voltage equal to around about 2 times the battery voltage.
 12. The modulated power supply system of claim 5 wherein the controller is adapted to transition the switching converter from the boost mode to the buck mode upon detecting a duty cycle of around about 0% for the switching output voltage at the output terminal.
 13. The modulated power supply system of claim 12 wherein the switching output voltage at the output terminal is bucked to around about a battery voltage of a battery that supplies the switching converter.
 14. The modulated power supply system of claim 1 further including an inductor coupled between the output terminal and a load.
 15. The modulated power supply system of claim 14 wherein the inductor has an inductance less than 2 μH.
 16. The modulated power supply system of claim 14 wherein the inductor has an inductance that ranges from around about 0.5 μH to around about 1.5 μH.
 17. A method of automatically controlling a modulated power supply system via a controller comprising steps of: determining if the modulated power supply system is operating in an average power tracking (APT) mode; operating the modulated power supply system in a buck mode if the APT mode is determined to be enabled; monitoring a switching output voltage of the modulated power supply system to detect a signal indicative of a first predetermined condition of the switching output voltage; transitioning from the buck mode to a boost mode if the first predetermined condition exists for a predetermined period; monitoring the switching output voltage of the modulated power supply system to detect a signal indicative of a second predetermined condition of the switching output voltage; transitioning from the boost mode to the buck mode if the second predetermined condition exists for the predetermined period; and repeating the steps until it is determined that the APT mode is no longer enabled.
 18. The method of automatically controlling the modulated power supply system via the controller of claim 17 wherein the predetermined period ranges from around about 2 μS to around about 4 μS.
 19. The method of automatically controlling the modulated power supply system via the controller of claim 17 wherein the first predetermined condition is a duty cycle of around about 100% for the switching output voltage at an output terminal.
 20. The method of automatically controlling the modulated power supply system via the controller of claim 19 wherein transitioning from the buck mode to the boost mode if the first predetermined condition exists for the predetermined period results in boosting a battery voltage to a voltage equal to around about 1.5 times the battery voltage.
 21. The method of automatically controlling the modulated power supply system via the controller of claim 19 wherein transitioning from the buck mode to the boost mode if the first predetermined condition exists for the predetermined period results in boosting a battery voltage to a voltage equal to around about 2 times the battery voltage.
 22. The method of automatically controlling the modulated power supply system via the controller of claim 17 wherein the second predetermined condition is a duty cycle of around about 0% for the switching output voltage at an output terminal.
 23. The method of automatically controlling the modulated power supply system via the controller of claim 22 wherein transitioning from the boost mode to the buck mode if the second predetermined condition exists for the predetermined period results in bucking a battery voltage to a voltage equal to around about the battery voltage. 